


Clint Needs a Hug (Or Several)

by BubbleWrap_Cures_Depression



Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Clint's childhood was not okay, Concerned Avengers, Confused Steve, Gen, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, I am so sorry, I love my traumatized overlooked deaf sassy gay boi, I wrote this like a year ago and I need to edit, M/M, Momma Nat, Protective Bucky, Protective Nat, The Avengers Learn why he's actually Deaf, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Yeet my soul we're abused children over here, and we do not stan, because people read this and it's awful, but I'm not, but the character as originally written is to die for, de-aged Clint, movie Clint is a piece of work, turns into horrified Steve, winterhawk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:00:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25368010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubbleWrap_Cures_Depression/pseuds/BubbleWrap_Cures_Depression
Summary: After an Unexplained Magic thingy, Clint is temporarily a kid again. Let's cheat and say Loki is playing a prank.He's 7 to be precise, and no one but Nat has any clue why he won't go anywhere near Steve, Tony or Thor.Except Tony figures that out because he relates.Clint had given the excuse of a "Circus Mishap" when asked about why he's Deaf.So they start off expecting him to be able to hear them.The truth forces Bruce to evacuate.Nat and Bucky are Pissed and Protective.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Clint Barton & Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark & Thor, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Comments: 4
Kudos: 109





	Clint Needs a Hug (Or Several)

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy!!! :)

The Avengers are waiting for Mini Clint to wake up. They've decided to call him "Mini" because he looks 5 but they can't tell. (Tony's idea)  
Steve is sitting next to Tony on the couch. They're arguing about one thing or another. Probably about whose fault this is. ("I told you to cover Hawkeye, Tony, where were you?" and "I was helping the kid stuck under the wreckage a block away, I'd told you I couldn't get there.")

Nat and Bucky are sitting in chairs on either side of the one Clint was placed in. Plush cushions in soft fabric all from some catalogue from when Tony decorated. They're silent, and won't leave his side.

Bruce checks his stats for any problems periodically and the rest of the time, he keeps his usual distance.

Thor and Sam are discussing what they'll all have for dinner. It's mostly Sam explaining what the different foods are. ("Sushi. It's just fish. Raw fish. On rice. In seaweed.") 

When Clint comes to, Nat is immediately putting herself firmly in his view and mouthing things like "It's okay, you're safe." and "we won't hurt you." on repeat.

Bucky Grabs his hand and Squeezes it twice, holding it firmly. He doesn't know much about his boyfriends childhood, but he knows it wasn't fun and he trusts Nat. Even if her actions are confusing him a bit.  
Why would she be mouthing it to him? Clint had told him he lost his hearing in a circus accident, did he really join the circus that young??

Clint eyes open, slowly. First he looks to the strange man squeezing his hand, confused. He sizes him up and verifies to himself that the man is a threat, but clearly not to him. the man is in all black and he looks kinda scary but his eyes are all soft and blue. pretty.  
Once he's sure the man won't hurt him, he turns to the pretty lady on his other side. 

She's mouthing, so she must know he's deaf. It takes a moment to digest what it is she's mouthing, but when he does he slowly relaxes. When did he go rigid? Clint figures he shouldn't even be surprised about that considering.  
He blinks, then nods at her and turns to scan the rest of the room. 

The first person he sees is standing awkwardly off to the side. The guy smiles slightly when he notices his stare. Clint starts to smile back, not a big smile but slight in a way that tells he isn't scared anymore. Even if he is.  
It doesn't stay on his face for long though, because the next people he sees are strong. Very strong. Very EVIDENTLY strong. And They're fighting. their stances are offensive and defensive respectively, but both aggressive. His smile drops, eyes widen.

He hunches in on himself a little more. making himself smaller so as not to attract any attention. Clint knows that body language. The two are very close to getting physical. Clint also knows what happens when one storms off and the other has unused rage.  
Clint knows vividly how that works.  
He starts scanning for exits, and the only door he sees is behind two other people. They seem to be conversing casually but one of them is also very clearly strong. The strong man is also clearly very decisive, and passionate about his opinions. Clint doesn't even have to think to know how passionate he would be in anger. He can't the man's voice but he's blond, and his voice seems loud. Very loud. He's yelling, mouth stretched out and vocal cords vibrating in his throat. 

He shrivels up on himself even more. His eyes search frantically. 

Bucky is even further confused when the Mini Clint tenses in his hand. Clint isn't visually tense, or stiff in any way unless you know exactly what to look for. Bucky knows what to look for, but even then he can tell that Clint is good at hiding things like that. Clint shouldn't be. Not young Clint.  
The boy takes a second to understand exactly what Nat is saying, and Bucky can feel very clearly how he relaxes. not fully, but he relaxes in a way that shows; this is it. his most comfortable state. and yet Clint is still clearly ready to make a run for it. 

He watches Clint scan the room, when he smiles back at Bruce he lets out a breath of relief. Clearly Clint can't be too scared, not as bad as he thought anyway. and then he watches as it disappears. Clint is looking at Tony and Steve. At first Bucky is sad because, in this short period of time he has confirmed that Clint only has his 7 year old memories. He doesn't remember Bucky. But then he's concerned because Clint's body is getting ready for an attack. Not ready to attack, but ready to brace for the pain of one coming his way.

He watches as Clint gets more and more skittish. He watches as Clint's eyes find Thor in the room and widen even more in absolute terror. 

And all of a sudden Nat is speaking. She's ordering Tony and Steve to separate. She's ordering Steve and Thor to leave the room. and She's ordering Tony to put down his drink, and to leave it down. and Tony acts like he's been slapped. looks around a bit and immediately gets rid of his drink. And he's softening his body language and taking a step back to put distance. And Bucky doesn't really understand that. Tony's acting like Clint's an abuse victim. but surely- 

And now he's watching as Steve's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Steve realizes Clint is awake and goes to check up on him and give him a hug. Clint squirms out of Bucky's hand fast and Bucky hardly has time to realize that Steve would seem threatening to the abused kid before Clint's gone. he looks up through tear blurry eyes as the kid leaves and jumps up the wall into an open vent. 

Nat doesn't look surprised. and neither does Stark.

Clint nods in response to her words to signal that he understands. She looks around the room again but keeps watching Clint out of the corner of her eye. She catches when he starts to panic. There's a moment of confusion as she looks around Steve to see what could be making Clint so uncomfortable. but that only lasts a moment as it sinks in. it's not something around Steve. it's Steve. 'buff, angry and aggressive in his argument with Tony', Steve.   
She knew it was bad, but really??? she gets that Tony drinking and Steve arguing with him would scare him, but Thor and Sam? she doesn't get how mortified he is until she thinks back to what she knows of his father.  
'My dad... he was very passionate. Not loving, not caring, but distinct in his views and opinions I guess. He didn't like when I or my brother spoke out of turn. And he definitely didn't keep opinions to himself.' Passionate he would say, but he didn't like getting specific on what his dad did. Nat may not like the withholding of information, but she'd known not to push this subject.

Thor must remind him of his father. Tony's drinking, Tony and Steve's Argument, Steve and Thor's build; this was not a visually safe environment for Clint.

So she must fix it. She ordered the important changes. When Steve chose to walk toward Clint she knew he'd flee.  
She wasn't surprised he fled, and she certainly wasn't surprised it was a vent. Because another thing she knew was that vents were one of the few places his dad could never find him. This room didn't leave access to the rafters for someone untrained. 

Steve didn't understand. Why did Clint look so scared? I mean, yeah he must not know where he is, but he specifically left on his suit so Clint would recognize he was safe. Everyone had assured him that everyone knows his suit, his image. He was an idol known through all of America and never forgotten. Did Clint not have access to comics or...friends??? TV?   
So obviously he went to go give him a hug, that would make Clint feel better. After all, he's a kid. But as he came closer Clint's panic rose, and he fled.  
Steve was confused.  
That was before he saw Clint's shaky hand grab the vent grate and pull it into place with practiced ease. 

Steve may not be a genius but he can piece together an abuse victim when they're THAT obvious.

Nat explains. "He didn't tell you this, because it's personal and he didn't think you all would care. but Clint lost his hearing when he was four. His mom also died that same night.  
To be frank, Clint's Father was an abusive drunk. He worked in construction of something. Either way, evident muscles, drinking, anger issues and such... aren't things he's really good with right now. So again, Thor and Steve, please leave the room. Bruce, he seems to like you so while if you need a break, take one, we will need your presence.  
Especially because we don't know for sure if his childhood injuries passed over. In which case we will have some stitching up to do."

Everyone but Sam, Bucky and Tony fled the room. With that settled, Nat went over to the vent and spent a while mouthing things to Clint.

It's a few hours later when they leave the room.  
Bucky needs to hit something, but he also doesn't wanna leave Clint's side, and he can't do both.  
Ironically enough, Tony really needs a drink. But he gets this haunted look in his eye when he looks at alcohol so he locks himself in his workshop and they don't see him for a few days.   
Bruce had joined them an hour earlier to check up on Clint and they discovered that his only injury to report was a big bruise on his stomach.  
Sam ordered Chinese and it's on the way. 

Nat is carrying an asleep Clint out of the living room.

**Author's Note:**

> This is why I need therapy. why do I do this to myself?
> 
> (Response from future me who's supposed to be in class: Because you're blocking trauma of being emotionally abused all your life and physically abused by your sister, bullied by everyone, lonely and you have anxiety. that's why.)


End file.
